Loud-speaker control system



Jan. 22, 1957 R, E. WILES, JR. ETAL 2,778,875

LOUD SPEAKER CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Aug. 8. 1955 United States Patent LOUD-SPEAKER CONTROL SYSTEM' Richard E. Wiles, Jr., and Brooks C. Noah, Mission, Kans.

Application August s, 1955, Serial No. 527,047

1 Claim. c1. 179-1 I This invention relates to electrical audio systems and, moreparticularly, to an improved loudspeaker control system for use with television sets, radios and the like.

Television sets, radios and like appliances are commonly provided with a loudspeaker within the cabinet thereof and with adjustable means on the cabinet for adjusting the volume of sounds emanating from the speaker. Two important disadvantages arise fromthe limitations of such conventional construction. First, in order to adjust the volume of sounds coming from the loudspeaker within the cabinet of the appliance, it is necessary for the auditor to'move from the place where he may be situated for listening to a position within reach of the volume adjustment on the cabinet of the appliance. Secondly, such conventional appliances make no provision for localized listening by one or more persons at a certain location within a room when others in the same room are not desirous of hearing the sounds emanating from the loudspeaker within the cabinet of the appliance.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a system overcoming the above mentioned and other disadvantages of prior, conventional systems or constructions by means of apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple and foolproof in concept, convenient to operate, easy to install and immune from any necessity for substantial maintenance.

It is another important object of this invention to provide such a system including a remote loudspeaker for (localized listening within a room to the exclusion of others elsewhere situated within the room or for a simultaneous presentation of the same sounds to one or more persons within a certain locality of a room at a volume level different from that prevailing in the remainder of the room by virtue of sound emanations from a main speaker located in the appliance cabinet. The last mentioned feature is particularly advantageous in use by persons who are somewhat hard of hearing.

Another important object of this invention is to provide such a system wherein means are provided at the location of the remote, auxiliary speaker for controlling the volume of sounds emanating from both such auxiliary speaker and from the main speaker housed within the appliance cabinet, such control means afiording an independent adjustment with respect to each of said speakers from the remote position and without the necessity of going to the appliance cabinet for the adjustment of the volume from either speaker.

Other important objects of the invention, including certain significant details of construction, will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses. It should be understood that, although the invention is described for purposes of illustration with reference to a home television set, the important principles contemplated by the invention are also applicable in connection with other audio appliances and in connection with audio appliances located elsewhere than in the home, for instance, in certain types of vehicles or the like.

, 2,778,875 Patented Jan. 22, 1957 In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a room having a television set therein to which is coupled the remote speaker and control apparatus contemplated by this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical aspects of the system of this invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 10 generally designates a television set or the like having a cabinet 12 containing a main loudspeaker 14 disposed behind a grill 16. A conventional volume control knob 18 is provided onthe cabinet 12 for use in controlling the functioning of certain circuits (not shown) within the cabinet 12 of set 10, by which the volume of sounds emanating from the speaker 14 are normally controlled.

The speaker 14 is provided with a voice or operating coil 20 having its ends connected with a pair of speaker terminals 22 and 24. Set 10 has a pair of audio signal output terminals 26 and 28. Terminal 26 is conventional- 1y coupled with terminal 22 by a conductor 30, and terminal 28 is conventionally coupled with terminal 24 by conductors 32, 32 and 32", it being noted that, in conventional installations, the conductors 32, 32 and 32 are coupled in series and normally would constitute a single wire.

The numeral 40 generally designates a remote control and speaker unit having a housing 42 preferably provided ,with a flat underside 44 for resting upon the arm of a chair 46 or the liked disposed remotely from the cabinet 12, and accordingly adjustment knob 18, of set 10.

- Within housing 42 is provided a remote or auxiliary loudspeaker 50 having a coil 52 whose ends are respec tively coupled with a pair of terminals 54 and 56. Also provided Within housing 42 are a pair of adjustable potentiometers 58 and 60 respectively provided with control knobs 62 and 64 exteriorly of the housing 42 of unit 40 and thereon.

A three-wire cable generally designated 62 is provided for coupling the unit 40 with the set 10 and may be conveniently passed under a rug 65 or otherwise emplaced within the room containing set 10 and chair 46 in manner not constituting a hazard or detracting from the appearance of the room.

Cable 62 has three conductors 64, 66 and 68 running therethrough.

To install the unit 40 the following simple procedure is used. The conductor 68 of cable 62 is coupled with conductor 30 as at 70 and with potentiometers 58 and 60 and terminal 56 of speaker 50 at 72, 74 and 76 respectively. The conductor 32,32 and 32" is severed between terminals 24 and 28 to present a pair of terminals 78 and 80 respectively coupled with terminals 24 and 28 by conductors 32" and 32, the loose length 32 adjacent the point of severance being separated from the terminal point 78 by bending and securement away therefrom. If desired the length 32' may be provided with a suitable releasable clip connector (not shown) for restoring the connection between terminals 78 and 80, and thereby conductors 32 and 32", when it is desired to render the unit 40 inoperable by disconnection of the cable 62 from the set 10.

The conductor 66 couples the terminal 80 with the ends 82 and 84 of potentiometers 58 and 60 respectively. The conductor 64 couples the terminal 78 with the adjustable center tap 86 of potentiometer 58. A conductor 88 couples the speaker terminal 54 with the adjustable center tap 90 of potentiometer 60. Obviously, the adjustment knobs 62 and 64 on the housing 42 of unit 40 are adapted for respectively controlling the positioning of taps 86 and 90 of potentiometers 58 and 60.

In operation, with the unit 40 placed on the chair 46 or otherwise in a convenient location relative to a particular listener, such listener may adjust the volume of sounds. emanating from the main speaker 14 of set 10 by turning the knob 62 to control the positioning of tap 86 of potentiometer 58. As tap-86 is =moved toward1he end 82 of potentiometer 58 the-volume of sounds emanating from the speaker 14 will be increased, while movement of the tap -86 toward the end 72 of-potentiometerSS will decrease the volume of sounds from speaker 14. Turning of the knob 64 will independentlygposition the tap -90 of potentiometer 60 and thereby control the volume of sounds emanating from the auxiliary or remote speaker '50. As the tap 9!! is moved toward the end 84 of'potentiometer 60, the volume of 'sounds from speaker50'will be increased, while movement of the tap90 toward the end 74 cf'potentiometer 60 willdecrease the volume of sounds from speaker-50 andeventually cut'same olf entirely as thetap 90 closely approachesthe end 74 of potentiometer 66, it beingnotedthatthe speaker 14 may be similarly cut off by movement of the-tap 86 cf potentiometer 58 into close proximity'to'end 720)? the potentiometer 58.

It will thus be apparent that the listener has complete and versatile control over the adjustment of the volume of sounds emanating from each of the speakers 14 and 56 without moving from his chair or other localized position 46, that the adjustments with respect to each of the speakers 14 and 545 are independent of the other, and that any combinations of operating volumes for speakers 14 and 50 which may be desired may be accomplished by the system of this invention.

It will be apparent that certain minor modifications and changes could be made from the exact structure shown and described for purposes ofillustration without departing from the true spirit and intention of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention shall be deemed limited only by the scope of the appended claim Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In an audio system including elect ical apparatus having a pair of audio signal output terminals and a main loud-speaker adjacent the apparatus and having a pair of audio signal input terminals, an auxiliary loud-speaker having a pair of'audio signal input terminals, saidvauxiliary loudspeaker being disposed remotely from said apparatus; a pair of potentiometers adjacent said auxiliary loudspeaker and each having a resistance element and a variable tap thereon; conductive means for coupling said resistance elements in parallel with each other and in series between said output terminals; conductive means for coupling one output terminal with one input terminal of themain loudspeaker; conductive means for coupling the other output terminal with one input terminal -of the References Cited in the file of this patent Lafayette Radio Catalog, 3- 55, page 13. (Received in Patent Office March 15, 1955.) 

